Uncoupling means for the cars of toy trains



May 11, 1943. B. BOWEN ETAL 2,318,741

UNCOUPLING MEANS FOR THE CARS OF TOY TRAINS Filed Jul 31, 1941 1 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS 3111f: Baa/en ATTORNEY y 1943- s. BOWEN EIAL 2,318,741

UNCOUPLING MEANS FOR THE CARS OF TOY TRAINS Filed July 31, 1941 2 Sh'eetsSheet 2 INVENTORS .Bl/lt Bowen BY f Russell Z. [lag/(Ian HTTORNEY Patented May 11, 1943 UNCOUPLING MEANS FOR THE CARS 4 QF'TOY TRAINS Billi Bow... and Russell L. Houghton, New York, N. Y., assignors to Ideal Aeroplane & Supply 00.,

Inc., New York, N. Y.

Application July 31, 1941, Serial No. 404,866

Claims. (Cl. 213211) This invention relates to coupling devices for the cars employed with toy railways, and our improvements are directed to novel structure of couplings and associated ramp means which are co-active therewith for the automatic disen agement of engaged couplers on adjacent cars, to thereby enable said cars to be separated one from another.

Other features and advantages of our invention will hereinafter appear.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a pair of couplers in interengaged position, in association with a ramp which exerts release tension for the coupler knuckles.

Fig. 2 is a side view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view in which one of the cars bearing a coupler has moved away from the car to which it had been coupled, the ramp tension having sprung the coupler knuckles out of engagement, so that the cars might be separated.

Fig. 4 is a perspective View of a coupler.

Fig. 5 is a top mlan view of a modification wherein the couple: -amp engaging element provides the knuckle releasing tension.

Fig. 6 is a top plan view illustrating double coupler guiding means into the ramp, and

Fig. 7 illustrates the employment of an electric light circuit and bulb for illuminating the operation of coupling and uncoupling.

The couplers employed by us with the cars of toy trains have a drawbar portion I which is pivotally connected at the underside of a car platform, indicated at X, as by a. screw 2. Said drawbar is provided at its forward end with a hook-like or knuckle structure 3, which is adapted to engage an opposed coupler of like conformation, or which may become engaged with a dummy coupler. Opposite the knuckle 3 is a thumblike member 4 and a spring member 5, of light tension, is fixed at one end'upon the screw 2, and at its other end is provided with a hook-like formation 6 that loosely hooks about the end of the thumb 4 for relative movement with respect thereto, the thumb 4 providing a supporting member for the spring 5 and limiting the outward flexing of the spring member. The spring member 5 serves to prevent the coupler from swinging out of coupled position when operating outside the uncoupling ramp which will be hereinafter described, and in association with the thumb 4 provides a gu de unit to direct the knuckle of an opposing coupler into engagement with the coupler of which the guide unit is a part. ;.v

The drawbar l is provided at its rear with lateral extensions th atser ve as contact, members to level the coupler against the underside of the car platform. Also, on of said extensions 1 serves as a support for a rod 8 that is secured at one end in the drawbar and is passed through an aperture in said extension, said rod being bent at 8a and 8b and provided at its free end with an angled portion intended for a purpose which will be referred to hereinafter. It will be understood that the rod 8 is rigidly mounted on and connected with the drawbar I so that lateral movement of the rod will be transmit-ted to the 'drawb-ar which will thereby be swung in a horizontal plane.

Since the purpose of our invention is to provide means whereby the cars of toy trains may be uncoupled automatically we have devised instrumentalities including a ramp and a fixed coupler element which may co-act with said ramp torelease a coupler from its interlocked engagement with an opposed coupler, whereupon the cars will be free to move independently.

It will be noted in the drawings that the rails upon which the-toy train operates are indicated at 9, and, between said rails we provide-a ramp that is composed of the parallel spring wires I0, suitably spaced apart, said wires being elevated above the surface by reason of their downturned terminal portions, forming legs I I, which are secured to fixed plates I2, respectively at opposite ends of the ramp. The legs II are spaced more widely apart than the parallel wires l 0 and said legs and parallel wires are connected by continuing wire lengths l3 that provide converging guide entries into the ramp, from either end thereof.

For the operation of our invention, as thus far described, attention is directed to Fig. l, where a pair of couplers are shown in association with a ramp over which the cars have come to rest with the opposed couplers interlocked. The ramp wires l0, tensionally co-acting with the angled portions 8c of rods 8, have exerted a squeezing effect upon the holoked'porti-on of knuckles 3, so that upon backing up one of the cars the opposed knuckles will become separated, as indicated in Fig. 3, and the cars can then be moved independently.

The squeezing eifect referred to occurs when the cars upon which the couplers are mounted are or have been in forward or pulling motion as opposed to backing up or pushing. motion and is produced; by reason of .the angled portions 80 having been guided into the ramp wires [0 by the converging entry formed by the wire lengths I3. As will be apparent from consideration, particularly of Fig. 1 of the drawings, the angled downwardly projecting terminal portions 80 of the rods 8 are disposed inwardly of the wires l and are in engagement therewith. As the wires ID are mounted to extend in normal position relatively closely spaced and as they are tension members they will exert an inwardly directed force 1011 each engaged rod portion which force will be transmitted to the drawbars; it being understood that the portions 80 are normallyspaced apart a greater distance than the normal spacing of wires l0. Thus the drawbar of each coupler will be swung in opposite directions disposing the hooked portions of the knuckles 3 in tightly interlocked or squeezed position. With the hooked portions of the knuckles in such squeezed position further swinging of the draw bars is prevented and the ramp wires II] will therefore be forced to give [or spread apart under lateral tension from their normal relatively closely spaced position under the engaging'action of the angled portions of the rods.

With the cars disposed over the ramp, the knuckles of the couplers squeezed together and the, ramp wires spread apart. under lateral tension as described the uncoupling of th Cars may be accomplished in the following manner. It is only necessary to back up one of the cars when over the ramp to uncouple them, the uncoupling action in the couplers taking plac automatically upon this backing upoperation. When one of the cars is backed up the hooks of the knuckles of the engaged couplers become longitudinally separated or spaced apart and the squeezing or tightly interlocking action thereof ends and the drawbars are therefore free to swing further than they could when the hooks were interlocked. With the hooks of the knuckles longitudinally spaced and the drawbars free to swing, the ramp wires will therefore be free to assume their normal relatively closely spaced position and in returning to such normal position will move the rods 8 to thereby further swing the drawbars which action will shift the hooks of the knuckles laterally against the light springs This operation which disposes the hooks. in laterally spaced position provides a clearance intermediate the hooks enabling them to be moved apart thereby uncoupling the cars.

In Fig. 5 appears a modification, wherein, instead of the stiff uncoupling rod 8, we employ a spring member M, the tension of said member answering the same purpose as that of the ten.- sion in the ramp: wires 10. In this instance the ramp wires I0- may be of stiif material, because the tension of member [4 will provide the.sq11eez ing effect desired. When the hooks of the knuckles are in squeezed position. as shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings the members. M are flexed and under considerable tension. sov that upon backing up a car to longitudinally space the hooks of the couplers the members [4 will; swing the .drawbars to laterally space the hooks for up:- coupling.

In another'feature. of our invention, illustrated in Fig. 6, provision is made. for enabling entry of the couplers over the ramp when. the latter is preceded by a more abrupt curve than. that indicated in Fig. 3; Thus, as shown. in Fig; 6, an additional converging. entry I 5 like: that represented by the. wire lengths l3, but positioned in advance thereof and mounted: on theplatfnrm i2, is adapted to. be. engaged by a spur; i6: that projects; from the rod 8. and. causes. the coupler to be swung about its pivot sufiiciently for the angled portion 8c of rod 8 to engage the entry l3 in its travel toward the ramp.

In order that the operator may be able to witness the coupling or uncoupling in the dark we have provided Visual indicating means comprising a light circuit and bulb, see Fig. 7. The circuit is indicated at I! and current flows from a source of electrical energy l8, through lamp l9, one of the ramp wires I 0, the rod 8 of one coupler, through both couplers, the rod 8 of the other coupler, the other ramp wire I9, and back to the source of electrical energy.

Variations within the spirit and scope of our invention are equally comprehended by the foregoing. disclosure.

We claim: I

1. In uncoupling means for the couplers of toy trains, at coupler including a drawbar mounted on a vertically extending pivot, and laterally spaced outwardly projecting knuckle and guide members, together with a stationary ramp composed of yieldable spaced parallel wires, a bent rod extended irom said drawbar, said rod having an angled. terminal portion normally spaced laterally oi the adjacent wire of the ramp and adapted to be guided, by engagement with means provided on said stationary ramp, into position to movably engage and hold said wire under lateral tension, whereby upon backing up a coupled car the drawbar will be shifted laterally to cause uncoupling of coupled cars.

2.. In uncoupling means for the couplers of toy trains, a coupler including a drawbar mounted on a vertically extending pivot, and laterally spaced outwardly projecting knuckles and guide members, together with a stationary ramp composed of yieldable spaced parallel wires and means rigidly connected to said drawbar and extending downwardly therefrom to a position normally spaced laterally of the adjacent wire of the ramp and adapted to be guided, by engagement with means provided on said stationary ramp, into position to Inovably engage and hold said ramp wire under lateral tension, whereby upon backing up a coupled car the drawbar will be shifted laterally to cause uncoupling of coupled cars.

3. In uncoupling means for the couplers of toy trains, a pair of opposed couplers including a pair of .drawbars mounted on vertically extending pivots, and laterally spaced outwardly projecting knuckles and guide members, together with a stationary ramp composed; of yieldable spaced parallel wires, a bent rod rigidly connected to each. drawba-r and extending downwardly therefrom and having anangled terminal portion, the angled terminal portions of the bent rodsbeing laterally spaced apart in normal position a greater distance than the lateral spacing of the-wires in. normal. position, and' each of. said angled terminal portions adapted tobe guided, by engagement with means provided on said stationary ramp, intoposition to movably engage and hold; one of said wires under lateral tension. to spread said wires apart. whereby upon backing up a coupled car; the knuckles. of the opposed couples become released.

4.;In uncoupling; means for the. couplers of toytrains, at couplerincluding a drawbarmount, ed ona. vertically extending pivot. in a car platform. the drawbar having lateral extensions which servezt'o level the. coupler'against the under side: of the car: platform, andlaterally spaced outward-1y projecting: knuckle and guide members, together with a stationary ramp composed of yieldable spaced parallel wires, a bent, rod rigidly mounted on one of said lateral extensions and extended therefrom and having an angled terminal portion adapted to be guided, by engagement with means provided on said stationary ramp, into position to movably engage and hold one of said ramp wires under lateral tension, whereby upon backing up a coupled car the drawbar will be shifted laterally to cause uncoupling of coupled cars.

5. In uncoupling means for the couplers of toy trains, a coupler including a drawbar mounted on a vertically extending pivot and laterally spaced ontwardly projecting knuckle and guide members, together with a stationary ramp composed of yieldable spaced parallel wires and having converging entry means thereto, and means rigidly connected to said draw-bar and extend ing downwardly therefrom and adapted to be guided into said ramp by said converging entry means and when within the ramp to movably engage and hold one of said ramp wires under lateral tension, whereby upon backing up a coupled car the drawbar will be shifted laterally to cause uncoupling of coupled cars.

6. In uncoupling means for the couplers of toy trains, a coupler including a drawbar mounted on a vertically extending pivot and laterally spaced outwardly projecting knuckle and guide members, together witha stationary ramp composed of yield'abl'e spaced parallel wires and having converging entry means associated therewith, and further converging entry means spaced from the converging means associated with said spaced parallel wires, and a bent rod extending downwardly from said drawbar, said rod having a spur thereon adapted to engage said further converging entry means to guide said rod into the converging entry means associated with said wires, and said rod having an angled terminal portion adapted to be guided, by said converging entry means associated with said wires, into. position to movably engage and hold oneof said ramp wires under lateral tension, whereby upon backing up a coupled car the drawbar will be shifted laterally to cause uncoupling of coupled cars.

7. In uncoupling means for the couplers of toy trains, a coupler including a drawbar mounted on a vertically extending pivot, and laterally spaced outwardly projecting knuckle and guide members, together with a stationary ramp composed of spaced parallel members, and flexible means connected to said drawbar and extending downwardly therefrom and adapted to be guided, by engagement with means provided on said stationary ramp, into position to engage and be flexed under tension by one of said spaced parallel members, whereby upon backing up a coupled car the drawbar will be shifted laterally to cause uncoupling of coupled cars.

8. In uncoupling means for the couplers of toy trains, a coupler including a drawbar mounted on a vertically extending pivot, and laterally spaced outwardly projecting knuckle and guide members, together with a stationary ramp composed of yieldable spaced parallel wires, a bent rod fixed to the drawbar on one side of the drawbar pivot and extending longitudinally from the drawbar to a point opposite the other side thereof, said rod having an angled terminal portion normally spaced laterally of the adjacent wire of the ramp and adapted to be guided, by engagement with means provided on said sta-' tionary ramp, into position to movably engage and hold said adjacent wire under lateral tension, whereby upon backing up a coupled car the drawbar will be shifted laterally to cause uncoupling of coupled cars.

9. In uncoupling means for the couplers of toy trains, a pair of opposed couplers including a pair of drawbars mounted on vertically extending pivots and laterally spaced outwardly projecting knuckles and guide members, each of said guide members comprising a rigid member and a flexible member supported thereby for holding the knuckles of opposed couplers normally in operative position, together with a stationary ramp composed of yieldable spaced parallel wires, and means rigidly connected to each drawbar and extending downwardly therefrom and adapted to be guided, by engagement with means provided on said stationary ramp, into position to movably engage and hold one of said ramp wires under lateral tension whereby upon backing up a coupled car the knuckles of the opposed couplers become released.

10. In uncoupling means for the couplers of toy trains, a pair of opposed couplers including a pair of drawbars mounted on vertically extending pivots, and laterally spaced outwardly projecting knuckles and guide members, the knuckles having'hooked ends for interlocking engagement one with the other, a bent rod rigidly connected to each idrawbar on one side of the drawbar pivot and extending longitudinally from the drawbar to "a point opposite the other side thereof, said rod having an angled terminal portion disposed in the vertical plane of the coupler, said terminal portion adapted to engage a stationary yieldable tension member whereby said hooked ends Oif the knuckles are shifted laterally for uncoupling the cars when the cars are backed l BILLI BOWEN.

RUSSELL L. HOUGHTON. 

